Chuck Watch: Season 5, Episode 10 - Chuck Versus Bo

As Chuck and the gang move closer and closer to the series finale, it is time to really make a decision on whether or not to get out of the spy game. Their minds are made up on where to go from here both personally and professionally, but that does not stop one final mission from getting in between them and this happy ending, culminating in a rather large cliffhanger-esque ending to set up next week’s episode of Chuck.

Manipulating MemoriesFor those of you who have been reading my Chuck recaps weekly, you know that I had a problem with the start of the season in concern to Morgan’s behavior. The way in which he changed, thanks to the Intersect melting his brain made it hard for me to forgive his d-baggery, but something done right in tonight’s episode is that the memories of what Morgan was like in the past have been manipulated to make him look less detestable in the flashbacks and video footage. The frosted tips are back, but something new is that this time around, his nerdier side is kept intact to remind us of who he really is even though it was long gone at this point (post switching to Verbanski’s team). After all, Intersect Morgan would have never cursed in true Battlestar Galactica fashion by saying “frakking,” nor would he have worn a dreadlock ski hat. Why couldn’t we have gotten a taste of this side of Morgan while he had the computer in his brain!?

Jeffster’s HangoverIn order to deal with Jeff and Lester finding the secret spy base under the Buy More at the end of the last episode, Men in Black is mixed with The Hangover as Casey and Morgan set up a scene for Jeffster to wake up in. To my delight, Lester is more than willing to believe that they had one crazy night in Vegas (not to be confused with Vecas) that he has no memory of, but unfortunately Jeff is unwilling to ignore the obvious contradictions that point towards this being false.

Jeffster knowing about the spies is something the show should avoid, and as the episode continued and they refused to forget what they know no matter how many times Casey Men in Black flashy-things them, eventually this issue is concluded in a manner that keeps me happy and stays true to the show. Following a confrontation, and after all the work they did to remember what happened (bringing in Memento as Jeff writes clues on his body, which Morgan also does by tattooing “Don’t trust Bo Derek” inside his lip), Jeffster is so troubled by the proof that Chuck, Casey, Sarah, and Morgan are spies that they wish they could forget everything. So though they go back to the car once more, this time having “they are not spies” written on his arm is proof enough that they don’t need to look into it any more. Thank goodness.

One Last MissionBecause there is what seems to be an endless supply of Intersects and glasses floating around, our team must put their plans for a safe retirement and “maybe babies” on hold to hunt down a pair of glasses Morgan hid while in his emo Morgan phase. Other than Jeffster’s constant interference, this mission goes pretty well; however, they have already been jinxed thanks to Sarah calling this their last mission.

By letting the villain escape once they recover the glasses, we are led to a situation in which Chuck is kidnapped. Sarah and Casey try to go to his rescue, but in this final encounter someone states that the “situation’s changed. He’ll be needed.” Needed for what? Are they going to force him to make one as his father did? Or rather, are they going to force him to correct the glasses so the users brain doesn’t melt? Good luck with that considering Sarah just put them on…

Sarah was already BA enough to not really need the Intersect, so it won’t have the feel that Chuck did when he had the computer, but it should still lead to an interesting episode as the computer deals a hefty amount of cranial-content damage. Think back when Chuck needed the watch because the Intersect was killing him/destroying his brain, not rude, brain-melty Morgan. All I know is Ellie better do something to save her since she is a brain scientist, as Morgan points out, because if she dies and Chuck and Sarah don’t get their happily ever after I will drown the world in my tears. Death equals tears, but if her brain melts, or she decides to keep the Intersect over quitting the spy life for their safer anti-cyberterrorism plans, I will just stick to punching those responsible in the face. The choice is theirs.

The Rantings of a Female ViewerI can’t be the only one questioning tonight’s episode of Chuck. I won’t go as far as to say that I’m offended, but I have to ask, what is up with the treatment of women tonight? Did the writer’s ex-girlfriend cheat on him recently? It just isn’t something I have come to expect from the writers of Chuck, no matter how sexualized the female characters have been in the past, making this completely out of the norm of Chuck’s nerd humor.

When it was done right: The inclusion of Bo Derek and how Morgan and Chuck act towards her as they look at her from the foot of her pedestal. As a woman who would be considered “eye candy” of times past (and probably still now), Morgan and Chuck go moon-eyed over this icon as they refuse to refer to her by anything other than her full name, and I’ll even let that masturbation joke slide. But then things quickly take a turn for the worse, so for those boys reading, here are some things to clear up:

1 – It is never ok to call a girl a whore, unless she is an actual prostitute or is comparable to one with the amount that she throws herself at others. Even then, I would suggest avoiding the word as much as possible. Technically women can get away with calling other women whores when it is in an affectionately joking manner these days, such as when I call my mother a whore when she doesn’t bring me candy, but Bo Derek calling Jaclyn Smith a whore does not fall within this loophole. Also in tonight’s episode, Lester calls Sarah “that whorey blonde.” I don't know if maybe this is residual embarrassment from when Sarah used her looks to make him uncomfortable at the Wienerlicious in Season 1 leaking through, but this name calling made me take note because it just didn’t really seem like a word from the Chuck vernacular, especially towards our lead female.

2 – Woman are not obsessed with rainbows, and I do not know any woman who would tell a guy that he filled her body with rainbows. What the heck does that even mean? This scene with Alex and her ex should just be cut out all together because it feels so out of place, though I guess it is used as a way to keep Morgan from looking like a jerk when we realize what he did with Bo Derek later. That way they can walk away even.

3 – Women are not run by their periods, no matter what Big Mike seems to think about us when he says that Morgan’s mother went to “some Native American feelings workshop about her period.” If we are going to go to any workshop, it is going to be about how to bag a rich man who can buy us diamonds, shoes, and chocolate. Duh.

Phew, now that my estrogen has had the opportunity to get that off of its chest, I can move on.

Final ThoughtsI know that rant might have worn you out, so I will try to keep from subjecting you to that in the future. So what did you guys think of tonight’s episode? Are you also having trouble believing that the Intersect was originally supposed to go to that guy? Because he sure doesn’t look the part. What do you think is going to happen to Sarah? Are they ever going to be able to take the “maybe” out from in front of “baby”? Let me know in the comments below!